Mt Toubkal Trek Week
Uncategorised, Charity Treks, TrekkingThis Moroccan adventure sees us trekking through the dramatic landscape of the High Atlas Mountains, summiting Northern Africa's highest peak, Mt Toubkal at 4167m
exploreWe specialise in Pyrenees treks involving historic escape routes that cross borders
Step into adventure for a once in a lifetime expedition or trek. Life is too short not to explore. Our mountain adventures will leave you with cherished life-long memories. Following pioneers from the past, see how they survived and relive their adventures. Delve into local communities, their culture and traditions. Our treks are organised so as to benefit local communities. You can take part to challenge yourself or benefit a charity. Share your journey with like minded people, embracing nature and history along the way.
We have a base in the Pyrenees and we have helped the Freedom Trail or Chemin de la Liberté be a reality for over 500 escapees since 2014 who have embraced and succeeded on this tough challenge to reach Spain or Andorra. We would love you to join us in 2023. We have departures starting in France crossing to Spain or Andorra following known and published WW2 escape lines.
FREEDOM TRAILS
Coastal Freedom Trail and Alberes mountains Freedom Trails 2023 April, May, June, October 2023
A journey taken by Jewish philosopher Walter Benjimin and may others during Ww2 above the Vemillion coast and Costa Brava in the Alberes mountains where escapees fled to Barcelona and beyond. We have the classic route crossing the col de Rumpissa and also an alternative way visiting a few escape cols which were used such as the Col de Banyuls used both in the Spainish Civil War and WW2. Meet in Perpignan or Collioure and finish in Barcelona. Fly to Toulouse, Perpignan or Barcelona. Discover the role MI9 and SOE Special Operations Execuative played in supporting escape lines. We have 2 options:
Classic Coastal Freedom Trail Lisa Fittko and WW2 Escape Cols visiting various escape cols en foot used in the Spanish civil war and WW2.
Coastal Freedom Trail is mainly hotel based and WW2 Escape cols includes a wild camp at a refuge.
9 June – 14 June 2023 Available
29 October -3 November 2023 Available
Contact anne@freedomtrailtreks.com
If you are interested in the commemorative route crossing from France to Spain but think it sounds a bit tough (it is a real challenge) then please take a look at the Andorra Freedom Trail escape that follows in passeurs footsteps across from Tarascon Sur Ariege or Ornolac Ussat les Bains over to Soldeu crossing a pass of 2262m. We also have the chance to see the outdoor monument to “les evadies” in Tarascon and appreciate the context of the escapies journey as well as undertake a ww2 city tour of Toulouse or Carcassonne as part of the programme, visiting Aeroscopia or the Resistance museum in Toulouse. It is an easier but non the less challenging route taken by passeurs who travelled up the Aston valley to cross one of 3 cols. We have researched these routes in detail and look forward to hearing from you!
2/06/2023 – 7/06/2023 Available
02/07/2023 – 07/07/2023 1 space
22/07/2023 – 27/07/2023 Andorra Freedom Trail 5 spaces
13/08/2023 – 18/08/2023 Available Join us! Families welcome
28/09/2923-03/10/2023 Available
Contact anne@freedomtrailtreks.com
Chemin de La Liberté classic commemorative route
9/07/2023 – 14/07/2023 4 spaces
18/07/2023 – 23/07/2023 FULL
22/07/2023 – 27/07/2023 FULL on commemorative Chemin de la Liberté
07/08/2023 – 12/08/2023 2 spaces
13/08/2023 – 18/08/2023 Available Join us! Families welcome
18/08/2023- 23/08/2023 FULL
5/09/2023 – 10/09/2023 FULL
11/09/2023 – 16/09/2023 FULL
12/09/2023 – 17/09/2023 Spaces
17/09/2023 – 22/09/2023 1 Space
22/09/2023 – 27/09 2023 3 Spaces
Contact anne@freedomtrailtreks.com
Please ask if you don’t see a date that works for you here. We are running some other Freedom Trails for our large tour operator partners at other times in 2023 but are more than happy to try and fit you in.
Family Freedom Trail wild camping experience & Escape and Evasion 5 days
We offer family experience Freedom Trail trips where you will experience a section of the Freedom Trail and have a family wild camp passing a WW2 memorial where escapees fled to Andorra as 3 day long cultural and historic weekends or 5 day trips where we have escape and evasion activities and games included at the wild camp cabane refuge and a chance to escape to Andorra.
Freedom Trail wild camp Family experience and Halifax bomber – 5 days
You will get to see real artifacts from WW2 and then follow a commemorative escape route leading into a wild camp nestled in a remote cirque. The next day we will climb up to visit the Halifax bomber (2100m) crashed on the hill side before descending and returning to the col de la Core and back down to Seix.
These trips are booking up FAST. Contact us if you would like to join or talk about the route email anne@freedomtrailtreks.com for a zoom or call +44 7951058053 or +33 781799006
If you would like a flavour of the freedom trail for a less tough challenge then we offer freedom trail experiences and Escape and Evasion for families
Sea to Summit on El Teide (3715m), Tenerife, Climb a volcano DATES OUT! Flights to Tenerife South with Easy Jet for a good price now! We have 7 and 8 day Sea to Summit challenges. This is not only an incredible challenge but an island with a rich history and the geology on the volcanic plateau is second to none with truely unusual basaltic emissions from large magmatic chambers that formed three separate sectors that probably formed three independent islands: the Anaga peninsula, the Teno peninsula and the Roque del Conde sector. We will take half a day to discover more.
24 April -4 May 23 Available
16-24 June 23 Available
Contact us: anne@freedomtrailtreks.com or +44 7951058053
If you are a group of 3+ please do get intouch on anne@freedomtrailtreks.com to enjoy the final dates of the year. As we get enquiries from individuals we will also put up more dates 🙂
We often move between France, Spain and Andorra but also in Europe. Our programmes are covid flexible so we can cross a border but not stay depending on the situation. Why not also try Andorra 3 Nations Trek (France, Spain, Andorra) climbing the highest peak en route or Sea to Summit on El Teide (3715m), Tenerife, Spains highest peak.
The dolomites WW1 history with its tunnels and open air museums also inspires. These trips have a strong meaning for the people you will meet on the ground and as well as being a challenge. We can share stories and challenges of the escapees and local communities having researched the history and operations that made these journeys possible in depth. We can learn alot today from border communities and view parallels in post conflict society today. Cathar way and Carcassonne and Coastal Freedom trail are les ardous trips or challenges for those who want to explore the regions culture in a more relaxed and luxurious manner.
Mainly hotel based trek in the Alberes mountains and on the beautiful vermillion coast and Costa Brava. See Jessica’s excellent and moving article for the New York Times on “Recreating a Family’s Lost Holocaust History, Step by Step” is here as we helped her recreate and find more about her father and grandfathers steps: https://www.nytimes.com/…/holocaust-pyrenees-jewish…
We also offer cultural adventures or tougher expeditions to iconic peaks such as Toubkal and Aconcagua. We use expert guides specialised to each trip.
What’s on from April until November 23?
Snowy fun: From our Pyrenees base we are excited for French and Andorran Pyrenees snowshoeing, weekend to a full weeks plus Pyrenees winter fun & wellness/yoga in January, February and March.
Following Escape routes: In March and April we will take to the lower Alberes mountains to the East for the WW2 Coastal Freedom Trail and escape cols. Why not run or walk a section of the Cathar way or Cathar Explorer with us starting in Carcassonne follows the story and escapes of the Cathars and the Albigensian crusade in the 12th and 13th centuries.
Inspired to for a peak, fancy a challenge? Join us to summit on El Teide, Tenerife Sea to Summit (3715m), Mount Toubkal Long Weekend (4167m) Kalymnos round island trek 100km and it’s highest point or on a longer trip into the stunning Annapurna Sanctuary or Helambu Gosaikunda lakes, Nepal with the option to climb a 5,000m peak. Follow in the footsteps of Lawrance of Arabia in Wadi Rum Jordan and experience the highest mountain in Africa and some stunning wildlife on the Kilimanjaro Northern Route
COASTAL, MOOR AND MOUNTAIN CHALLENGES IN THE UK
Why we do it? We are really excited to show you beautiful places and support a good cause at the same time. Walking or running for a reason! Sharing history and culture, nature and ideas and the moment. You can do these with us as an individual, group or charity.
Climb Snowdon Sea to Summit & slate mines, Gritstone 9 edges challenge (1 day or long weekend), Dark Peak White peak challenge, Battle of Britain Memorial walk, Dover coastline, Yorkshire 3 peaks, climb UK, Cornish Coastal challenge, embrace marine life and cream tea!, the New forest 5km, 10km and half marathon trek fest weekend challenges and the Snowdonia 7 Summits. All 1-6 day trips and so if you would like to do just one day on any of these please ask! We have open events especially for charities and have helped many fundraisers with their ambitions. We are happy to be supporting the charity SANE on the cornish Coastal Challenge in October 21. Do sign up to help them.
OUR FABULOUS PYRENEES ADVENTURES
Week, long weekend and day snowshoeing, pick and mix winter activity fun local to Ax les Thermes and Andorra. We love winter fun! What makes this region unique is you can also relax in thermal baths post walk and/or combine with skiing.
Already living in France, Spain or Andorra? Day and weekend mountain experiences
Our treks or walks can be geared to you if you are coming from Toulouse, Carcassonne, Bordeaux, Puigcerda, or Andorra la Vella for the day. We are only 1hr-1.5 hours away depending on your base. My mission is to help you fall in love with this fascinating border region. We are so close to both Spain and Andorra with a fine selection of mountain experiences, cultural adventures and historical escapes. We can also offer to the border treks to step into Spain or Andorra in a weekend or just for the day as wall as mountain refuge trips, historic Cathar castles or just into the wild.
Day Trips and Mountain weekends
- Pyrenees 2-3000m peaks
- To the border: Spain or Andorra
- Cathar culture
- The Halifax Bomber experience
If you are coming as a group we offer apartment accommodation at ChezArran.
We partner with Roam and Retreat for all wildlife adventures and historical explorer days.
Click here to find all our fabulous Pyrenees FreedomTrail Treks adventures! We have themed day or weekend walks too so you can pick challenge, relaxation or wildlife options in partnership with Roam and Retreat.
REST OF THE WORLD
Follow in the footsteps of Lawrance of Arabia in Wadi Rum Jordan or circumvent a Greek island on foot and by boat for 100km on Kalymnos, go on the track of red pandas in Nepal. These are amazing choices from our favourite non European places to be!
